This winery doesn’t just have a history, it has a proud heritage. In 1882 Albino Pestoni emigrated to Bell Canyon Napa from a small Swiss Village close to the Italian Border. Rather than being intimidated by his grape growing competition, Albino thrived and began growing grapes and producing wine that people traveled from as far as San Francisco to enjoy.

Fast forward a couple of generations, and meet Bob-the rebel. Bob rebelled by not going into the winemaking business straightaway. Instead he and his brother Marvin started Upper Valley Disposal Service. Because of his roots from generations of farming, and his emphasis on recycling in his disposal business, in the late 1970s Bob started doing something that no one was doing at the time - composting. Bob started composting all the leftovers from winemaking (pomace, grape skin, pulp, seeds and stems) long before composting regained it’s popularity.

Bob earned his way into National Geographic Magazine in 1993 with his approach towards sustainable farming, a standard he still holds. It is awe-inspiring to see the mountains of compost on the Pestoni Estate.

If sustainability is important to you, not just in the wines you drink but in the direction our society is heading, then check out Pestoni on your next trip to Napa. Family, culture, nature, and respect for our planet are the themes here, and you’ll enjoy them along-side some magnificent (sustainably grown!) wines-definitely try the 2016 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon! – Lea Gourley